Make Tracks for the Zoo 5K Recap

In May 2014 I visited my amazing and genius brother in St. Louis. It just so happened that the zoo was having their annual Make Tracks for the Zoo 5K walk/run that same weekend. The race, which benefits this amazing zoo, takes you around the famed Forest Park and ends with yummies inside the zoo before it opens! Awesome! I had to do it. I even talked my brother into running it with me (he was going to walk me over there any!). It was all uber exciting since it was my first race outside of Texas to boot!

It was a cool but sunny morning. Just a few degrees below perfect race weather. Living really close to the park we just walked over, which was a good warm up. Race day packet pickup proved to be pretty painless (I'm always wary of them), and I got one of most favorite race shirts. It's green and has a cheetah cat on it! Only downside that I remember... no gear check (oh, and bananas... keep reading to find out). So! My brother rode his bike out to stash our stuff in his locker at Washington University, which was closer to us than home. 

This picture does not give the American flag size justice! 

The race starts just down street from the Saint Louis Zoo entrance, and takes you past some of the big features of beautiful Forest Park, such as the World's Fair Pavilion, The MUNY, the Jewel Box. It also takes you up some pretty awesome hills too. It was one of first few races that I did that made me think... I need to train on hills! Whew!

So, yes, I had a little difficulty navigating the hills, but I managed (I had walked them a couple days before while we explored the park, so we were acquainted already). My brother, whose is far more athletic than I (not to mention taller) slowed down his pace to stay with me, which was much appreciated! That's sibling love, people!

The race ended at the start. The post-race yummies were served at a side entrance for the zoo. They had everything from yogurt, apples, cinnamon raisin rolls, chocolate milk, water, sports drinks, and coffee. They did not, however, have bananas. How ironic is that? We're at the zoo and there were no bananas to eat! I missed my banana!

Where's the banana?!? 

After we ate breakfast we visited some more of our favorite animals at the zoo before moving on to greater adventures outside of Forest Park. 

This is definitely a race that I would do again. For those with children, this is a race for the family too! Just bring bananas!

Source of course map here. Source of logo here.